[ open ] for i've grown a little leaner, grown a little colder, grown a little sadder

[holyshihtzu]

Who: Juliet O'Hara + You
Where: Juliet's room
When: December 1st-4th
Rating: PG
Summary: Juliet is getting into the Christmas spirit early by hosting a little get-together at her place. Network video and party post below the cut!
The Story:

[ ✹ .002 [ video ] ]

Happy December, Wonderland!

[ Juliet offers a brilliant, if somewhat strained, smile to the network. The camera isn't directly aimed at her face at first--she's still getting used to video chatting--but she reaches out to adjust it quickly before continuing. ]

I know not everyone here celebrates Christmas or... Even knows what Christmas is, but! In the O'Hara household, Christmas is a big deal. I mean, I really big deal. All my family comes in and there are games, and arts and crafts, and a ton of food...

[ People probably get the idea, Juliet. ]

So! I know things always get really crazy during the holidays anyway and I wanted to get on top of things so I'm having a little pre-Christmas get together at my place. So whether or I know you or not, come by room three on the seventh floor anytime over the next few days and I promise we'll have a lot of fun. Open door policy.

[ She pauses. ]

Not literally. Knock first.

[ room 3, level 7 ]

Juliet has gone all-out for the holidays, as an O'Hara is wont to do. With no financial limits and no job to distract her, she's put everything into decorating her place. Anyone walking past room three on the seventh floor will be greeted immediately with an timely wreath and equally festive doormat.

The decorations don't stop there. Juliet has decked the halls to the point that they are bursting, having even extended her living room quite a bit to accommodate food, fun, and hopefully a lot of guests. Every wall is decorated with some kind of garland, wreath, or lights. She's even got a sprig of mistletoe hanging in the corner for any couples who visit that might be so inclined.

And, of course, there is the the Christmas tree in the corner of the living room.

Anyone who visits will also be greeted by an unimaginable spread of food from cookies, cakes, and various snacks to some traditional Scottish fare like mince pies. There's another corner table dedicated to just Christmas crafts, from cutting out paper snowflakes to sewing Holiday themed pajamas.

Maybe it's a little early to go full out, but Juliet couldn't wait. Christmas is her favorite time of year and she hopes that getting to it early will help her miss her family less - and maybe help her find a new family in Wonderland.

[ This is a party/mingle post! Feel free to top level and tag out with other people, or just thread with Juliet, or just respond to her network post if you so desire. Have fun and get into the holiday spirit before shit goes down! ]

Comments

Juliet O'Hara | OTA | will match format

[holyshihtzu]

She's keeping herself as busy as possible. Throughout the next few days, all visitors will find Juliet appropriately dressed for the occasion and bustling around her apartment as she plays the perfect host.

Sometimes she'll be hovering near the food table, making sure that all of the delicacies stay warm and fresh - no stale Christmas food on her watch. More often than not, though, she'll be encouraging others at the craft table, helping to cut out decorations from colored paper, arranging the perfect manger scene, and even helping to sew various garments with her treasured sewing machine.

Occasionally, though, she will take a moment to stand near the Christmas tree and admire the lights or rearrange the ornaments, often choosing to move one or two near the highest part of the tree that she can barely reach. It's an excuse to take time to think fondly about her family and friends back home, her heart aching a little at the idea of celebrating this time of year without them.

Christmas tree

[mourning_ghost]

Nageki visited, intrigued by Juliet's post but quickly became overwhelmed by the amount of festivities. While alive, Christmas had been a quiet affair celebrated with family in the evening with sponge cake. The last few years he's spent reading Christmas books in the library. He's come to the Christmas tree to hide in a quiet corner for a few minutes.

He looks like a normal mourning dove in every way except his size, which is far larger than what Juliet would expect from a pigeon.

When Juliet comes over to the tree, he looks at her and, deciding that she doesn't have any business with him, turns back to looking at the glittering lights on the tree.

Tree :)

[captain_america]

Steve's been wandering around the room, talking to some familiar faces and enjoying himself. He's calm and relaxed- which is a nice change. He's nursing a glass of wine when he spots Juliet trying to move some ornaments on the tree and barely being able to reach. He smiles and heads over.

"Need a hand?" He is taller, its no problem for him.

[oneagainstall]

Gren came here partly because Misty can convince him to go absolutely anywhere, but also partly because he genuinely does like Juliet. She seems Good People, and he could always use more of those in his life.

As such, he eventually heads over to her when it's a little quieter- though any noise is too much noise for him, moving to stand near her.

"Looks like your little shindig got popular. They could probably use this kinda thing, after the bullshit of the last Event."

[soupcansam]

Of course Shawn has a present for Juliet. He has several in fact, and he finds her as soon as he's done talking to a few people.

"First of all, Jules, this is great. Second, I'm a little offended you didn't ask me to be Santa, but you're welcome. Third..." He shakes his bag a little. "Presents for you."

They're all wrapped but there's a mug, somehwat rude wine glasses, and some slippers. "You can either open these now or on Christmas. I don't run your life and we're all adults so, you know. Live it upif you want."

[waitin]

Clementine recognizes Juliet from the video. She's been here for a few Christmases now, but this is the first official Christmas celebration that she can remember attending. She did the secret santa thing once, and well, Wonderland turned into a ski lounge, but. Maybe she just never went to any of the other ones.

Maybe Louis is the one of the two of them who would notice official celebrations and then invite her to go with. Either way, it's good to see him so happy especially after the thing with Marlon and then the raiders. She wants to express her appreciation to the woman who thought to do it at all.

"...thanks for setting all this up."

video;

[eatsyourscience]

Do you need help with food or anything?

[Because Souji can provide food. It is basically his life.]

[holyshihtzu]

I would love help with the food! I have no idea how many people to expect, but I'd like to have a nice variety. What kinds of things do you like to make?

Misty Day - Open

[twirlier]

Misty has no idea what Christmas might be like in Wonderland, but she's excited that someone is willing to celebrate the holiday. In her own world of course it's a big deal, and even with living as deep in the swamp as she has, it's something to celebrate and enjoy, along with the solstice.

Turning to the closet after the announcement, seeking appropriate attire. What she gets is likely not what she is seeking, but Misty loves the dress all the same. Tying up her hair with a matching ribbon and throwing on a crimson fringe shawl, she heads for Juliet's room.

Already she likes the new person in the mansion an she can't wait to see her and what she has planned. So she does indeed even knock... and then promptly opens the door. Floored by all Juliet has done, even with the closets, she just stands there for a moment, mesmerized, even before looking for the hostess, or Gren whom she's asked to come and celebrate with her.

[holyshihtzu]

Juliet is pouring some wine when Misty comes in, and she smiles cheerily, pouring a second glass for the new arrival. She offers it to her.

"Oh my God Misty, that is an amazing dress." She gazes at it longingly, because of course she does. "Are you really into Christmas?"

[oneagainstall]

Gren hates parties. He rather famously hates parties. He doesn't even like Christmas all that much. He still remembers when it was the Cool New Thing everyone was getting into. He hates strangers and mingling with them even more than both those things. He has a lot of reasons to not be here, but a couple that have actually brought him here- that trump his reasons to avoid it like the plague. Misty is the biggest of those reasons. This makes her happy, and so, here he is.

Unlike Misty, he hasn't made an effort (he never will) feeling his presence is enough effort for basically the rest of the month for him. He does smile at the sight of her though, raising his hand in greeting.

"Hey you," a pause. "You look great."

[soupcansam]

"Misty Day!"

Shawn's Santa voice booms and the jolly fat man walks toward her, a very special gift for her in his bag.

"You have been very good this year and I have something special for you. All the way from the North Pole."

Digging around in the bag now, he almost disappears into it before coming back out with a large framed thing. "I figured since you'll be staying in your room for the winter, you could use some decoration." He reaches back into the bag. "Also, something to keep you warm."

It's cropped but whatever, her arms will be warm. Also, he has no idea it's cropped. What is women's fashion.

Video;

[licksthirium]

[Connor knew the general rundown of Christmas, but he never thought that he'd ever really take any part in it before.]

I know of Christmas, but I can't say that I've experienced it. Humans seem to generally be fond of it though. Sounds like a fun time, though.

[Not that Connor had anyone like that here. Even back in Detroit, there was maybe Hank and Sumo?]

[holyshihtzu]

It's so much fun, if you do it right. Decorations and presents and spending time with the people you love, that's what it's all about.

[ She obviously loves it, she could go on for hours. ]

So you're not human, I take it?

video;

[bloodmagics]

Hang on, hang on. Christmas is meant to be a good thing?

[He has a vague idea of what it is from friends in Wonderland, but when the biggest exposure is the horrible things thrown at them every year (or the plain weird, like the gratuitous candy "violence") he's more than a little unsure.]

[holyshihtzu]

[ She looks a little taken aback by the question. ]

It's supposed to be. It always has been for me, at any rate. Why?

Claire Fraser | OTA

[beautifullies]

[ It's Brianna who wanted them to come to this, seeing as how Jamie has never done a traditional Christmas. He's never done Christmas, and she knows Bree's excited to help him understand it all. Even Claire has to admit she's in a festive spirit now that Jamie's back. She finds a suitable dress for the party, not knowing precisely who Juliet is but managing to get her family nice and cleaned up for this.

It will be their first family outing, going somewhere together as a unit the way it always should have been. Something about that, too, makes her heart leap in her chest.

She walks in with both of them, arm in Jamie's, but soon they're all mingling, though Claire never lets Jamie quite out of her sight. Even as she helps herself to a plate of food, surprised to see so many things that look familiar from her stay at Castle Leoch during Yule.

Later, there will probably be a very tall Scottish Highlander and his wife kissing under the mistletoe once she explains that particular tradition, acting much younger than their years and anyone is welcome to comment on that too once they separate again because it's gross in love stuff. ]

[captain_america]

[ Steve had spotted the happy family when he walked in but he waited until they had dispersed to mingle before he went over to say hi to Claire. He hadn't wanted to interrupt anything. He walks over when she's stand by the Christmas tree, admiring its branches. ]

Its a nice tree, isn't it?

Sunburst | OTA

[bibliocorn]

[Sunburst doesn't celebrate Christmas. It's not a thing where he's from. He's heard about it, though, and it sounds weirdly similar to Hearth's Warming. He'd told himself as soon as signs of it started to appear, he'd investigate- to contrast and compare.

As such, he can be found wandering the room, a notepad and quill levitating in front of his face. He pauses as every little thing, muttering to himself and scribbling down notes. Eventually, he'll seek out someone (congrats, it's you!) ]

Do you mind explaining to me the meaning of the doormat? Are cats generally associated with the holiday? And in what capacity? Please, don't leave any details out, you never know what might be important.

[holyshihtzu]

[ Well, this is weird.

Honestly, she's not sure what's weirder - a talking pony, or a talking pony taking levitating notes in the middle of her party. But she's keen to answer any questions people might have about the holiday, as weird as they might be. ]

Um, it doesn't mean anything, really. I just... like cats?

Louis | OTA

[teamfun]

[Louis hasn't been able to experience a proper, zombie-free Christmas since he was nine. As such, he heard Juliet's offer on the network and he sure took that one up right away. He also dragged Clem along because look, look it's CHRISTMAS.

He can be found bounding around the room like...well, a kid at Christmas, a big grin on his face. He tends to gravitate around Clem, always finding his way back to her with food or some piece of Christmas kitsch - but he is also here to mingle. If he knows you or not, he'll probably eventually find you with a grin and wave. ]

Heeeeey this is really something, huh? All we need now is a crapton of snow and I think we're set.

[holyshihtzu]

[ It's actually nice having a kid running around the apartment. It makes Juliet think about her nephews, and how much fun they would have at Christmas making crafts with their Auntie Julie. Watching Louis enjoy himself is a little bittersweet. ]

Do we get snow in Wonderland? [ Having been there for just about a month, she hasn't seen much when it comes to changes in weather. ] We really didn't where I'm from, so I'm not used to it.

[ She's not opposed, though. It would make everything feel more Christmas-y. ]

Steve Rogers| OTA

[captain_america]

[Its a small and intimate gathering, something that Steve rather enjoys. Growing up Christmas was always a quiet affair- just him and his mother, if his mother didn't have to work. Later it was just him, sometimes Bucky, but he always felt out of place crashing the Barnes family's Christmas. During the war Christmas was spent with the Commandos and the SSR and those were more enjoyable despite everything going on around them. Since the ice...

Christmas was always a lonely time for Steve, though despite that he always enjoyed the holiday season. He shows up dressed nicer than normal and ready to enjoy the night.

He makes a stop at the food table and fills up a plate (super soldiers need sustenance) before heading to the craft table where he figures he can make something to hang in his rooms. Only his paper snow flakes look terrible, he really should stick to drawing, so he does making a nice winter scene with some colored pencils.

If someone plays their cards right maybe they can trick him under some mistletoe. Just don't be disappointed if the kiss you get is just on the cheek. Its still a kiss afterall. ]

[emojis]

[He's not the only one who sucks at paper snowflakes. Drizella's look awkward and clunky, and occasionally overly done with the cut outs because she's the kind of artist who doesn't know when to leave well enough alone.

She glances over when she sees one of his, and she holds up a hand in a high-five kind of gesture as she reaches for a cookie with another.]

Less-than-aesthetically pleasing snowflake solidarity?

drizella tremaine | ota

[emojis]

[Drizella hasn't done Christmas in a very long time. The winter holidays aren't really "Christmas" in the Enchanted Forest 2.0, but they have similar traditions, given that she actually arrived on Christmas last year, she missed out on the festivities there last time.

It's hard to believe that she's been in Wonderland nearly a year already. So much has changed in that time, and in a lot of ways it feels like nothing's changed at all.

Still, she's doing her best to try and be more present, so that means going to dumb social things and trying to be a nice person. Or maybe she's just there for the food. Either way, she is grabbing a plate of cookies and parking by the arts and crafts table, watching other people as they make paper snowflakes before grabbing a piece of paper so she can fold it up and make her own.

She cuts out a few holes, unfolds it again, and frowns.]

I don't think I'm doing this right.

[holyshihtzu]

There's no way to do it wrong.

[ Juliet is at the table, making sure the crafts were fully stocked so everyone can keep it up. She's got a ball of string, letting anyone string their snowflakes from any part of the living room that they desire. ]

I had three nephews. Compared to theirs, yours at least actually looks like a snowflake. [ She stares at it, wrinkling her nose. ] Well, almost. I think you need to cut more holes.

Barbie & Julia | Open | Either will respond, just put in subject

[theenforcer]

Together, engaged, and finding a peace and happiness despite the events, of course they attended this merriness. Julia to cover it for the blog, and Barbie because it's Christmas! Yep, the former special forces soldier, cheap mob knock off gambling enforcer looooooves Christmas. Enough so that he got an Ugly Christmas Sweater from the closet. It is the only one the closet would give him, and now he has nearly a dozen of them because he kept trying.

So whatever, he doesn't care, he's excited and throwing himself into all of it. Food. The crafts. Singing along to the carols playing. He's excited for it all. And if he has too much eggnog, well then he might just be complimenting everyone, being happy and glad for Christmas. In Wonderland. With Julia.

Not in a damn dome.

Barbie;

[holyshihtzu]

So far things have been going great, and the arrival of a new couple certainly makes things better. Juliet has started to hit the eggnog, too, feeling a little tipsy and, to her relief, happy.

"That's a unique sweater," she points out as she offers him a refill of his eggnog. "I should have planned an ugly sweater contest."

Shawn Spencer | OTA | LAST DAY

[soupcansam]

[ It should be known that Santa always makes an appearance on the very last day of any good Christmas party, and so here's Shawn, dressed as the old man himself. There's a lot of padding to give himself a huge belly, a beard and a bag slung over his shoulder. He even has the wire rim glasses and the black boots. ]

Ho, ho, ho!!

[ He does not knock, that's how he enters. ]

I hear some of you have been very good this year. In fact there's only one naughty person on my list and the name is Juliet O'Hara for brushing a cat in the wrong direction.

[ He makes his way to a chair and sits, putting his bag down. ]

Come, everyone, come tell Santa what you'd like for Christmas and we'll see what we can do.

[ Every single person will get a pineapple with a red bow taped on it. That's what his bag is full of and it should be no surprise. ]

[shslliar]

[After a couple of pineapple giveaways, Kokichi rushes over to "Santa" like an excited child and practically throws himself onto Shaun's lap.]

Hi, Santa! [He beams as he leans on whatever Shawn used for his fat suit and looks him right in the eyes.] I betcha can't guess what I want for Christmas!

Brianna Randall | OTA

[givingback]

[ This party, for all it is a casual get together to meet new people and connect with others in Wonderland, is something really special for Bree. She hasn't been able to celebrate a Christmas with her mother in three years, and Jamie's never celebrated Christmas at all, not like this. For a while she takes him around the room, showing him everything, explaining it all to him. The only thing she leaves out is the mistletoe. Her mother can explain that one.

When they finally part company so he can spend some festive time with her, Bree settles in to make some pajamas and she's decided on pale pink with little brown antlers. The material obtained, she gets to work, pretty adept at the machine. She breaks for cookies, mingling, then goes back to make snowflakes.

At some point, she hears her mother laugh and looks up only to see her looking at Jamie and the way he's looking at her, well. They might as well be the only two in the room.

It's gross.

But it's also really adorable. ]

[alsoagirl]

[ Jessica must be on the same wavelength as Bree, because she's not the only one thinking along her lines. Two people, in love? Aww! But also...fucking eww.

Feeling that she has to complain to someone, since her obnoxious gagging noises during all of Claire and Jamie's kissing doesn't seem to be working to end such a sweet display of love, she clicks her heels over to Bree. It's the next best option for now. ]

Your parents are so fuckin' gross.

[ There's a pause as she sips on her blood. ]

Nice snowflakes.

[ She's jealous, honestly. Bree gets a functional family and knows how to make snowflakes? The world was totally out to make Jessica suffer. ]

Jessica Hamby | OTA, will match~

[alsoagirl]

[ Jessica's got no idea what a Christmas party is like, at least not one that's cool and doesn't involve her playing the Virgin Mary. So this? She has to see.

After knocking and getting invited in--ugh, human residences--she strolls in like she owns the place. Her cocky walk reeks of "teenager who's really trying to seem grown up," especially considering what she's wearing, but hey! It's Christmas, she's happy, and she's free!

She forgoes all the food, instead cracking open the bottle of what looks to be champagne. When she pours it into a flute, though, the fizzy liquid coming out is carbonated blood. After she's satisfied with the amount she has, she thunks the bottle down with all the rest of the food, an offering to anyone else who might want some. Or to be a dick. One of the two.

With a bright smile, she wanders around the party. At one point she goes to the craft table and attempts to make a snowflake, but that adventure doesn't last long, since her result ends up looking shitty. There's no way she's going to touch any of the other options, so she's back to observing everything, swirling her drink because it looks cool, taking in what's normal for most people.

After the past month, she needed it. ]

Re: Jessica Hamby | OTA, will match~

[twirlier]

Caught up in the seasons changing, in the troubles of others, and in trying to not just sink into the happiness she feels with Gren, Misty has been less social than when she first arrived. Yet she's at the party, wearing a kind of silly but delightful dress that she's loving as she enjoys the party.

Seeing a familiar face, she quickly changes course and moves to Misty's side.

"Aren't you a sight for sore eyes," she says, smiling wide and so excited to see Jessica once more. "I'm so glad you're here. Isn't this just... amazing?"